This application is related to application Ser. No. 06/915,269 filed 10/3/86 by the same inventor MAX J. DYKMANS, and entitled "A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONSTRUCTING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY WRAPPED PRESTRESSED STRUCTURE UTILIZING A MEMBRANE" which in turn is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 559,911 filed on 12/9/83, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,145 issued on Oct. 11, 1988by the same inventor MAX J. DYKMANS, and entitled "MULTI-PURPOSE DOME STRUCTURE AND CONSTRUCTION THEREOF".
The field of the invention is generally circumferentially wrapped prestressed structures, and their construction, which structures can be used to contain liquids, solids or gases. The invention is particularly useful in the construction of domed prestressed structures such as those set forth in the above applications which are incorporated herein by reference.
The background which gave rise to the subject invention is also set forth in the above applications. Briefly summarizing, there has been a need of reinforced plastic, fiberglass or resin sandwich composite structures of the type set forth in the above two applications where the walls are formed by inflating a membrane, applying one or more layers of rigidifying material outwardly of said membrane, prestressing the walls by circumferentially wrapping prestressing material around the rigidifying material and membrane, and then placing a protective coating or rigidifying material or other material outside of the circumferential wrapping. A reason why large fiberglass tanks have not been popular in the past is the difficulty of constructing these tanks under field conditions. The tanks are often built in deserts, or mountain tops and away from the pristine and controlled conditions of the laboratory. Resins are commonly delivered with promoters for a certain fixed temperature, normally room temperature. However, in the field, temperature will vary substantially. Certainly, variations from 32.degree. to 120.degree. F. may be expected. These conditions mean that the percent additives for promoting the resin and the percent of catalyst for the chemical reaction, which will vary widely under those temperature variations, need to be adjusted constantly for existing air temperatures. Considering that some of these percentages are very small compared to the volume of resin, accurate metering and mixing is required which presents a major hurdle to on-site construction of fiberglass tanks. Current metering systems are not believed to be accurate enough under these conditions.
Accordingly, there has been a need for the invention claimed herein--a system which will accurately meter, mix and evenly spray composite materials to make the walls of such tanks or containment vessels.